phdlee

That was the same answer I found in my research. My friend unintentionally confused me:drunk:. Thank you for your clarification and wishing me good luck!

Okay. Here's the final addition to my own question that I started. I read the FPGEC Certification program on the NABP website. (FPGEC - Programs - National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®)) To get a copy of the FPGEC certificate, a candidate needs to get the TOEFL scores required as stated in the following sentences from the website. "After you successfully complete the FPGEE and TOEFL iBT, your file undergoes a final evaluation. This final evaluation can take up to 10 weeks. Your FPGEC Certificate will not be mailed to you until the final evaluation is successfully completed." And then, "Once you receive your FPGEC Certificate, please contact the board of pharmacy in the state where you wish to obtain your pharmacist license to receive information about that state’s requirements for internship and licensure." In my interpretation, I should get the TOEFL scored to apply for the state internship license (CA in my case). If my research and interpretation are wrong, please correct me and help me get things right. I apologize if I brought any confusion to you with my postings. I will appreciate your input/response to my question/self-answers.

I read the instruction for the California intern pharmacist registration application. I don't see the TOEFL requirement to apply for an internship license. Obviously, I was wrong. Now, I'm preparing the application and found that FPGEC certificate is required. I passed the test and know the score. But, I don't recollect that I received a copy of the certificate. Do they always send a copy to us? Or do we have to request a copy? The instruction only says that " A copy of the FPGEC certificate ONLY if you are a graduate of a foreign school of pharmacy." It sounds to me that I have to provide a copy of the certificate, which I don't have in my possession. Do you know how to get a copy of the FPGEC certificate? Your response will be greatly appreciated!

A friend of mine in Maine is studying TOEFL to fulfill the English requirement after passing FPGEE. She emailed me today saying that she got a pharmacy intern license. As far as I understand, we have to get the TOEFL scores required to apply for an internship license. Am I wrong? Or do different states have different rules? For your information, I passed FPGEE and am studying TOEFL, living in California. Thank you for your help in advance!

I received a letter from NABP telling that they revised TOEFL iBT passing score for FPGEC Certification. Reading 22 (previously 21) Listening 21 (previously 18) There's no change for Speaking (26) and Writing (24). I'm exactly quoting the passage in the letter. "Starting March 1, 2014, all new FPGEC candidates must obtain the new TOEFL iBT passing standards for FPGEC Certification." For the current FPGEC candidates who have passed the FPGEE may complete the TOEFL iBT with the previous minimum requirement before June 1, 2014 for certification. After June 1, 2014, the new TOEFL minimum score requirement will be required to acquire FPGEC certification. I hope it helps! Good luck to all!

Today I came across a paper published in June 2013. It doesn't sound promising at all to a foreign pharmacist who wants to work in the US. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/811430_5 "A Looming Joblessness Crisis for New Pharmacy Graduates and the Implications It Holds for the Academy" We have to know the reality of the pharmacist job market in America, and to be prepared for the reality we will face after all the devotion to go through the process. Any thoughts? Any ways we can help out each other?

Hi all! I'm in the same situation as most of you are in. In the last year, I took TOEFL three times. In the first two tests, I got 23 in speaking and 22 in writing. I got frustrated and looked for other TOEFL books to study with. I came across "Speaking and Writing Strategies for the TOEFL iBT" (by B. Stirling). In the third test, I used the strategies the book taught in the writing essay and got 25. This time, I'm focusing on speaking, and hope to get better at least if not 26 in speaking. I feel more confident now and hope to get what I need in the next test, which will be on Jan. 25, 2013. I hope it helps you guys to improve your scores. ps. I want to say that I have no conflict of interest in the book whatsoever.

I'm studying TOEFL, too. The book that I am using strongly suggests to "subjectively" write an independent essay. It means that you use your own experience when you give examples. It gives you a better chance to get a higher score because you know the materials very well and you can develop the essay very well. I used that strategy and got 25 in writing last month. I hope it helps! Good luck!

I don't remember where I got it but, what I remember is that the test results are usually available in 15 business days from the test date. I took the test on June 15th, 2012 and got the result back on June 25th. It didn't take even more than 2 weeks. You should get the result back in any time soon. Good luck! Hopefully it helps!

There is no limit. You can take the test as many times as you want.

There is an official position of "Pharmacy tech" here. So, I'm not sure whether the hours working as a pharmacy tech would be considered as the internship hours. You can contact the state board of Pharmacy you wish to practice to get an official answer. If I'm not mistaken, you may fulfill the hours by volunteering even though it is not desirable.

Generally, it doesn't look promising. The most important factor to find an internship position seems to be a network. I don't know whether an employer is willing to sponsor foreign pharmacists to fill their shortage. I'm guessing that if you don't mind working in a remote place or place where people here don't want to live in, you may have a higher chance to get a sponsorship. I got that impression from what my friend told me. She is a pharmacist working in Fresno, CA and introduced me to a pharmacy manager whom my friend works for. They always hire an intern when there is a vacancy. Many young American students at pharmacy schools don't seem to appreciate living in Fresno. If I correctly remember, they even had hired a foreign pharmacist in the past. So, she passed my CV to him even before the FPGEE exam. My friend told me that they will equally consider my application for any vacancy in the future when I complete all the requirements for the internship. I passed the April FPGEE and now I'm still working on TOEFL. Generally, the networking is one of the most important things when you look for a job in the US, based on my experience here. Good luck on hunting an internship position!

NABP just posted the date for the FPGEE score from April 2012 as the following: Scores from the April 19th, 2012, FPGEE will be available on Friday, May 25th, 2012, at 12 noon CDT (central daylight time). Good luck all of you who took the test!

I just checked the NABP website and found the announcement of the following: [h=1]FPGEE Score Results When Will My Score Be Available?[/h] [h=3]Score reports from the April 2012 FPGEE will be available in approximately 6 weeks.[/h] According to the announcement, the result would be posted at the end of May or the early June. Good luck to all of the test takers!

I checked this forum to look up how long it took in the past. Looks like the result may be released in 4 or 5 weeks after the test according to the last two tests. The results of April 2011 and Sept 2011 were posted about 4 and 5 weeks after each test. We may find the result in 3 weeks at the latest. Good luck to all of you who took the last test including me!